Page 43 of Forbidden

“Why didn’t you?”

“It was just a dream. Had to accept reality.”

“‘Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one’.”

I turn to her, trying to keep the astonishment from my eyes. “You read a lot, don’t you? I don’t know any girls your age quoting Einstein. Hell, I don’t know anymyage.”

“I love reading, love learning new things. Seems like you read a lot, too.”

“Side effect of having a brainiac for a best friend.”

“Dr. Emerson?”

“Mm hmm.”

“I know it’s more than that. You can’t fool me.”

“I can’t?”

“No.”

She’s right, of course. It’s more than E’s influence. I really did want to be a pilot. I took the right classes, studied my ass off, and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. E’s the one who convinced me to get a business degree when I told him all the plans I had for the MC. Because of my duties with the club, I couldn’t go to a traditional college, so I got an Associate’s degree from a local community college. Sometimes I still wonder what would have happened if I’d joined the Air Force instead of the club.

“Okay, you got me. I’m secretly a nerd.”

“Not a nerd, but smarter than you lead people to believe.”

“You got me all figured out, huh?”

“Well, you wanted to be a pilot, so you must have been pretty good in school. That doesn’t just go away. You probably have a degree or something, but you’re hiding behind this Reaper persona.”

What the fuck?People who have been around me for years haven’t figured that out and she does after a few conversations? Not even Chopper knows. The only ones who do are E and Ellen.

“What makes you think that?”

She raises a shoulder in a shrug.

“How old are you?”

“Thirty-two.”

“Oh.”

“What…you think I’m too old for you?”

“No, just wondering. I don’t really know anything about you.”

“True. There’s a lot we don’t know about each other, but we can learn.”

I reach over, take her hand, and stare into her eyes. She averts her gaze and pulls her hand from mine nervously.

“I like your tattoos.”

She effectively changes the subject, so I place my hand back on the wheel. “Thanks.”

“I was surprised you don’t have any on your back.”

“It’s kind of a club thing. The back is reserved for our old ladies.”